Parlando: The COC Blog

6/10/2016

Honeybee Update

News From our Busy and Creative COC Honeybees

It's suddenly summer in Toronto, and the COC's honeybees were recently returned to the roof of the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts by beekeeper Fred Davis, after being wrapped up well in their winter quarters. Fred reports that the hives did really well over the winter, with the loss of only one hive, which is really good. Five full hives and two smaller ones will be active on the roof under the guidance of Fred and his two assistants, Catherine Jordan and Vivien Wong.

The honey produced by the COC bees isn't just award-winning (see the mobile version here), it's the source of bodily and artistic nourishment:

- In late June the Cheese Boutique is launching a new cheese which incorporates COC honey. It will be available for sale at the Cheese Boutique and hopefully on menus of some local restaurants and hotels.

- The Four Seasons Centre is currently working with a local artisan to fabricate lozenges made with COC honey which should be ready for sale at the bars in the Four Seasons Centre this fall. Perfect for repressing those coughs!

- Jars of COC honey will also continue to be available for sale at the bars.

- The bees haven't just been creating good food, they've been assisting in an artistic endeavour. For the last 18 months a sculpture titled Untilled (Liegender-Frauenakt) has been evolving on the roof of our opera house. Created by artist Pierre Huyghe, this stunning sculpture of a reclining female nude is completed with a beehive engulfing her head and upper torso. The sculpture will be unveiled at the Hearn Generating Station as part of this year's Luminato Festival, taking place this June.

The Opera That Changed My Life: Call for Submissions

Did a particular opera or operatic experience change your life? Tell us how and why and we’ll post your stories on our blog!

It could be the first time you heard/saw an opera; a singer who made your hair stand on end; an experience you had during a night at the opera; a production that astounded you, or one that you just couldn’t get enough of. If an opera impacted you, we want to know about it!
Send your stories (approximately 100 – 200 words in length) to socialmedia@coc.ca or message us on Facebook and your memory may be selected to appear in our series! Be sure to also include your name and if you’re a COC subscriber along with your message.